His eyes crinkle, and he asks, “Is that a bad thing? Don’t I look charming when I smile?”
“You look more than charming,” she says lightly. “You look dangerously handsome. I’m only worried you’re going to have to fend off more women than before.”
He shakes his head seriously and says, “Let them try. You’re the only one for me, Leilani—the only woman who can make me smile like this, the only woman I ever want in my life.”
Her heart stutters in her chest, and tears fill her eyes, making his face go blurry. He squeezes her hand and leans forward.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“It’s nothing,” she says. “Just pregnancy hormones or something.”
She grabs a napkin and dabs at her eyes, trying to get a grip on herself. Oh, Waylen, she thinks. I hope I can stay with you and make you happy for the rest of your life, but I’m so scared I won’t be able to.
The car stops outside D.O. headquarters, and Leilani clutches her purse. She opens the door and steps out of the car, shutting the door behind her. The window rolls down, and Waylen leans out and grabs her wrist.
“Please, Waylen,” she says. “I need to do this alone. It’ll take an hour, well, maybe only half an hour. If you don’t want to wait, I’ll call one of the drivers to pick me up.”
“Of course, I’ll wait,” he says. “I’m not going to risk losing you again.”
“Just please stay in the car,” she begs. “I don’t want anyone to see us.”
“Why not?” he challenges.
“You know why not,” she says. “We can’t be seen in public together. As far as everyone knows, you’re still with Rebecca. After everything that’s happened, you owe it to her to end things officially.”
“Any updates on Rebecca’s condition?” he asks Robert.
“She fell unconscious as soon as she got back to Monaco,” Robert says. “The doctors think she’ll wake up soon, but she suffered a serious head wound in the crash—and head wounds can be tricky.”
Waylen sighs and says, “Well, as soon as she wakes up, I’ll break up with her. Are you satisfied with that, Leilani?”
Leilani frowns and bites her lip. It seems cruel for Waylen to break up with Rebecca as soon as she regains consciousness—the poor girl has already suffered a lot. But it seems equally cruel for Waylen to lie and pretend until she’s fully recovered. Besides, Leilani knows he’ll never agree to that.
“Okay fine,” she says. “But we can’t be seen in public until you break up with her.”
“And what if she doesn’t wake up?” Waylen asks. “What if she slips into a coma?”
“Don’t be so morbid,” Leilani snaps. “I guess that means we’ll never be able to be together officially.”
“Don’t say that,” Waylen says.
He jerks on her wrist and tugs her closer to the window. Leaning out the window, he bites her on the neck, sucking the skin between his warm lips. She groans and tries to pull away, but it’s too late. A purple mark darkens the pale skin of her neck.
“Damn it, Waylen,” she says, pushing his head back into the car.
“Leilani, is that you?” Emily calls.
“Quick roll up the window,” Leilani hisses, stepping in front of the open window to block Waylen’s face.
She breathes a sigh of relief as she hears the electric buzz of the window closing. But then the sound stops. She glances over her shoulder and sees that the window is only half-closed.
“I’ll hide in the car,” Waylen says. “But what’s my reward?”
“You’re such an opportunist,” she hisses. “What do you want?”
“I want you to please me tonight,” he says, his voice low and hoarse.
Part of her wants to argue with him, but Emily is hurrying toward the car, and she doesn’t want her to see Waylen. She bites her lip, turns around, and gives him a quick peck before leaning against the back door of the car. She sighs with relief when she hears the window close.
“Oh, is your husband in the car?” Emily asks.
“He is,” Leilani answers without thinking.
The second the words leave her lips, she wants to take them back. Surely Waylen can hear her conversation through the tinted window. She hopes he doesn’t read too much into her casual remark.
“Well, it’s really good to see you, Leilani,” Emily says. “And I have some news for you. Will you come inside with me?
Leilani nods and follows Emily into the building. The women ride the elevator up and walk directly to Emily’s office. Leilani can feel the other employees staring at them, but she ignores them all.
“So,” Emily says, closing the door. “I sent pictures of your mother’s sketches to my father, and he recognizes them. He said he even made one of the designs—look.”
Emily holds out her phone, and Leilani stares down at a picture of a necklace. A ring hangs at the end of the chain. Leilani enlarges the photo and gasps. The ring is made of entangled golden wings, and a brilliant ruby is nestled between the wingtips. It’s one of the designs Leonie destroyed.
“My father said this ring was part of a pair, originally,” Emily says. “I’m sure you’ve seen it among your mother’s sketches. But the matching ring was stolen—the one in the necklace is the only one left.”
“Who took it?” Leilani asks.
“I don’t know,” Emily says with a frown. “My father has been looking for it for years. Even though your mother never came back for the rings, he feels like he let her down. He told me he hopes he can recover it and give it to you someday.”
Leilani swallows and looks at the picture again. Goosebumps prickle on her arms—she can’t believe she’s looking at her mother’s design. She hands the phone back to Emily with shaking hands.
“Would it be possible for me to meet with him and talk to him?” she asks.
“I’m afraid not,” Emily says. “He’s back in Europe now looking for the ring. Last I heard he was in Switzerland or Monaco, following up on some theory he had. But I’m sure he’d be happy to meet with you as soon as he gets back.”
Leilani nods and asks, “So, where’s the remaining ring now?”
“I’m glad you asked,” Emily says with a smile.
She leans down and unlocks a draw on her desk. She straightens up and holds her open palm out to Leilani. Leilani gasps—the ring is sitting on Emily’s palm, looking even better than the photo.
“My father wants you to have it,” Emily says. “He’s sorry he couldn’t give it to you in person and hopes you’ll understand.”
For the second time, Leilani feels her eyes fill with tears—she’s never felt closer to her mother. “Thank you,” she whispers.
Emily passes her a tissue, and Leilani takes a moment to wipe away her tears and compose herself.
“I still have to deal with the cufflinks,” Leilani sighs. “Is Sophie here?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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